Boo Seeka talk writing on the road, building live shows and their debut album

Despite being staples in the Australian electronic live scene (and now branching out to the US with a standout performance at SXSW), Sydney electronic duo Boo Seeka actually haven't even released an album yet - until now. Never Too Soon is their debut affair, diving into the two-piece's signature electronic sound across the record's spectacular eleven tracks. It's been in the making for a while now, with its rigorous production length being evident through the album's intricate perfection, with every crashing percussion hit and soft vocal melody being perfectly timed and layered to execute one of the most long-awaited Australian albums this year. Co-produced by frequent collaborator Ian Pritchett, Never Too Soon ushers in a new era for the Boo Seeka pairing, highlighting their well-loved sound from past singles such as Deception Bay while also hinting at a new direction to come in future releases. In celebration of the album's arrival and their lengthy, forthcoming Australian tour (dates at the bottom of this article), we managed to grab the duo's Sammy Seeka to quickly chat about the album and its production, their live show and what they learnt along the way. Grab the album HERE.

Hey legends! First up, a massive congrats for finally putting out your debut album! You both spent a large heap of 2016 touring across Australia and abroad – how did you find time to write an album amongst all that?

We wrote a lot of the album on tour, ideas would start in tour buses, in car parks and even on stage. When we'd get home from tour we'd smash it out in Sam's bedroom over a coupla bottles of red. 

I know there are a lot of artists who complain about writing and recording music on the road and the inconvenience of it in comparison to writing in a more formal, studio setting. Do you guys feel the same way? Is it harder to write music on the road without all the proper equipment and room?

Yeah, it's harder to fully realise a song on the road but we find that on the road is when all the inspiration hits us. Constant exposure to new bands and artists, new cultures and people drives a lot of our ideas. You just have to make the most of any environment you're in and produce to the best of your ability. 

And speaking of being on the road – you guys just announced a mammoth Australian album tour which kicks off in October. Has anything changed in your live show since your last major run?

Every time we start a new tour we up the ante, we try to bring a new and better experience for the audience whilst still maintaining the core of what we do. This time we'll be upping our sound, lights, new song and more energy.

How are you guys working on translating the new material into a live setting? What goes into building and pulling off your live show that people outside of music may not realise?

It's actually a super long process taking our songs into the live realm. We use so many layers and we try and play as much of it live as we can. We don't DJ, we don't just hit play and dance, we play instruments and to recreate the sounds from the record on stage takes days and weeks of 'pre' work that the average punter probably isn't too aware of. That normally means Sam not leaving the studio for weeks before we start jamming the new set. 

Onto the album now, it’s mentioned that the album reflects on your recent life experiences and everything that’s happened in the past two-and-a-half years. Do you mind expanding on this? What are some of the experiences which have shaped the making of the album?

Some of the songs on the record are from earlier on in our brotherhood and but about half the album was written in the past six months; during which time Boo went through a relationship breakdown. This was be lyrical inspirations for songs like Turn Up Your Light and Does This Last. Some of the earlier songs like Argo Misty and Gold Sail were written after personal trips to paint a picture, and to give the listener a dreamscape to live in for three minutes.

Obviously writing your first album is a massive learning curve for any musician – was there anything you guys learnt from making your debut album?

We've learnt so much writing this album. The biggest thing was figuring out how we best write together, and it took a while. We learnt what we're capable of and have heaps of respect for other artists that have made records that they're genuinely happy with. This one pushed us through sweat, tears and ultimately, happiness.

Do you have any favourite moments on the album – or is that like choosing favourites between kids?

For me (Sam), a favourite moment of the record is the interlude. It's a moment of reflection. When Argo Misty kicks in too that always lifts me and takes me to a happy place. Other than those it's like choosing between kids, so much love and effort went into each song that I couldn't pick between them.

Completing and releasing your debut album is obviously a big, landmark moment for a musician and now that you’ve ticked that off, what has the Boo Seeka team got their eyes set on next? What is your next big, ‘musical bucket list’ item that you want to work on achieving?

We'd like to collaborate with someone outside our style; RnB, hip hop, someone with killer flow and style. That's what's next for us...

Tour Dates:

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